Ruth Newman dead at 113
September 2, 2015 1:20 PM Subscribe
1906 San Francisco Earthquake survivor Ruth Newman passed away July 29th at the age of 113. This leaves William Del Monte (warning: auto-playing video), currently 109, as the last confirmed living person to have survived the earthquake and fire.
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posted by oceanjesse at 1:39 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by oceanjesse at 1:39 PM on September 2, 2015
Are there any still living who survived the earthquake but not the fire?
posted by fairmettle at 1:48 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by fairmettle at 1:48 PM on September 2, 2015
I wrote "earthquake and fire" instead of just "earthquake" in that last sentence because it was the fire that caused the most destruction. I realize now it's a bit confusing but oh well.
posted by DrAmerica at 1:52 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by DrAmerica at 1:52 PM on September 2, 2015
.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 2:21 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 2:21 PM on September 2, 2015
At any given moment in history, there are multiple centenarians living contemporaneously. (For example, in 1950 the United Nations Population Division estimated the world population of living centenarians at 23,000 individuals.) Which means:
When Ms. Newman was born, there was a person still living who had walked the earth during the presidential administration of Thomas Jefferson.
When that individual was born, there was a person still living who had breathed the same air as Peter the Great at the founding of Saint Petersburg.
And when that individual was born, there was a person still living who had been frolicking in a field somewhere at the same time Shakespeare was putting his finishing touches on Hamlet.
It only took four steps—four adjoining lifespans—to take us from today all the way back to Shakespeare.
Take another step and we've arrived at the first brushstroke of the Mona Lisa.
Three additional steps and we're riding and plundering with Genghis Khan.
Another five—hey, it's Beowulf!
Seven more for luck—what's shakin' Jesus?
posted by Atom Eyes at 3:16 PM on September 2, 2015 [8 favorites]
When Ms. Newman was born, there was a person still living who had walked the earth during the presidential administration of Thomas Jefferson.
When that individual was born, there was a person still living who had breathed the same air as Peter the Great at the founding of Saint Petersburg.
And when that individual was born, there was a person still living who had been frolicking in a field somewhere at the same time Shakespeare was putting his finishing touches on Hamlet.
It only took four steps—four adjoining lifespans—to take us from today all the way back to Shakespeare.
Take another step and we've arrived at the first brushstroke of the Mona Lisa.
Three additional steps and we're riding and plundering with Genghis Khan.
Another five—hey, it's Beowulf!
Seven more for luck—what's shakin' Jesus?
posted by Atom Eyes at 3:16 PM on September 2, 2015 [8 favorites]
Oh look, a reference outside my own mind to something I think about several times a day...
posted by bleep at 3:46 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by bleep at 3:46 PM on September 2, 2015
It appears she survived the earthquake, but not the fire, as she was in Healdsburg when the quake hit. The shaking was really intense up north; it devastated Santa Rosa.
posted by knuspermanatee at 4:11 PM on September 2, 2015
posted by knuspermanatee at 4:11 PM on September 2, 2015
Seven more for luck—what's shakin' Jesus?
Oh! *scrunches forehead*
Is it the 1906 San Francisco earthquake?
posted by aws17576 at 11:55 PM on September 2, 2015
Oh! *scrunches forehead*
Is it the 1906 San Francisco earthquake?
posted by aws17576 at 11:55 PM on September 2, 2015
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posted by entropicamericana at 1:36 PM on September 2, 2015